Yesterday I was alone in my place, no access to internet and too lazy to go outside. Then out of the blue I just started writing this fic without much thought, ha ha. This is a simple light story about slice-of-life, which is a huge contrast to my usual fics. I hope you all can read this with that same light feeling. Enjoy~

日常

~Their Everyday Life~

__________________________________________________________

"Our everyday lives may, in fact, be a series of miracles..."

__________________________________________________________

It was just one of your averages Sunday morning, the sun lazily peeking in the horizon and the birds chirping to signal the start of another peaceful day. There was nothing more that Yamamoto Sayaka would ask on such day as she lay back on her comfy bed, hugging her blanket tightly around her. She yawned and slowly fluttered her eyes open, hearing little footsteps running up the stairs and approaching her room.

Knock, knock

"Papa, wake up."

"Hmmmrh?"

Sayaka let out a playful groan and smiled, covering her whole face under the blanket. After a while she heard a loud whine and the door to her room being pushed open.

"Papa..."

She felt little hands nudged her side, trying to shake her awake. She let out another groan and hugged her blanket tighter.

"Heeey, wake up! Wake up wake up wake up--"

"Graaaah!!"

Sayaka stood, opening her blanket wide and catching the tiny figure with both arms. The girl yelped from the sudden action, but she couldn't do anything to escape the mighty bear hug. Sayaka let out a little laugh, hugging and snuggling her nose to her daughter's face as they fell back to the bed.

"Good morning, Ririka."

"Huuff, if you're awake just answer it normally..."

Sayaka chuckled as she saw her little girl puffed her cheek, pinching the soft mochi-like texture.

"Oh no, are you okay? A scary tiger just possessed me and told papa to attack Ririka!"

"There's no way it happened."

"It did, Ririka. It did."

"No it didn’t. You're just making excuses assuming that every child believe in fairytale. That way you will not get scolded and I will see you as a hero. Too bad, papa. I can see through that. By the way, this theory is called McCornack's Information Manipulation Theory."

The little girl ended her speech with a proud smile, and Sayaka stared at her blankly.

...

...

...

Err, what is she talking about?

Sayaka thought loudly in her head as she put on a cool smile and nodded, trying to decipher what sorcery had took over her previously so innocent child. Seriously, what happened to her cute innocent Ririka? It must be because that book she got as a present on her 5th Birthday just recently. What was the name again? Philosophy 101, was it? Damn Yui, why you have to give my child such absurd book!? She mentally cursed and switched into a sitting position, setting Ririka to her lap.

"So then, little miss Philosopher. Do you need something from papa?"

Ririka blinked a few times, as if trying to remember something, before patting Sayaka's lap.

"Oh yeah, breakfast is ready. Mama said you better come downstair before 8, or else..."

Or else...

Sayaka gulped as she heard that and she stood, putting Ririka back to her feet. She stole a glance at the clock. Seven fifty-five. Thanks heaven she still got time. Sayaka let out her breath in relief and followed Ririka down the stairs all the way to the dining room. Her lovely wife was there complete with her apron, setting a plate of omelette on the table. The said girl turned her face toward the two as she heard their footsteps, a sweet smile on her face.

"Good morning, dear."

"Morning, Miyuki."

A normal person would melt from that smile and so was Sayaka, but still, it sent a little shiver down her spine at the same time. Oh how lucky she was to get there in time. She wouldn't even want to imagine what hell she had to go through if she upset Miyuki. The simple thought gave her another shiver and she pulled her chair over, sitting down by the table.

The short-haired girl took her mug, a black mug with the word ‘ROCK’ painted on it, and poured some water to it. As she sipped on the refreshing drink she let her eyes scanned around the room, finding her wife putting away her apron and Ririka proudly putting on her napkin by herself. It was a simple scene that you’d find in any normal family, but Sayaka couldn’t help smiling at that. Still, something was missing from that picture.

"Hey, Miyuki.”

“Hm?”

“Where is Nagisa?"

The said girl blinked a few times, before tapping her chin.

"Oh yeah, now that you mention it she’s not here."

You didn’t realize? Sayaka raised a brow at her wife but she just ignored her.

"I wonder where she is...”

“Big sis left earlier this morning.” Ririka said calmly.

“She said she’d go playing with her friends.”

“Ah, is that so? Geez, that child is just full of energy.”

Miyuki let out a giggle, while Sayaka stared at her blankly. Wait, wait, is it okay to be this calm!? God, Milky, our child is practically missing now! Sayaka finished her drink and quickly stood, trying to keep her cool as she walked toward the front door.

“I’ll go look for her. If I can’t find her anywhere, go call the police—“

“Calm down, Sayaka. She’s probably playing on that nearby playground like usual. I'll make sure to scold her for leaving without a word after this.”

“That's only probably. We don’t know for sure.”

She put on her shoes and planted her hand on the doorknob, glancing at her wife.

“Wait here, I’ll—“

PING-PONG

Sayaka flinched as the bell suddenly rang, and she snapped her head toward the front door.

“I’m home~!!!”

There was a moment of silence, before Miyuki gave her a playful smirk.

“Look, there she is.”

“...”

“Stop panicking so much, papa~”

Sayaka growled, hiding her embarrassed face from Miyuki. That child...she better be ready for a good scolding. She sighed and turned the doorknob open to show the smiling little girl standing behind it.

“Oh, it’s papa! Why’re your face so red? Aha ha ha~”

Nagisa tilted her head, a huge innocent smile on her face, and Sayaka growled one more time. Oh, there will be more than a few scolding for you, young lady... Sayaka crossed her arm and gave her daughter a stern look, ready to start her speech, but something else caught her attention. Despite her bright smile the girl was such in a messy heap; her clothes were all dirty with mud and there was a huge gash on her knee. Sayaka’s eyes softened and she sighed.

“Nagisa, what happened to you?”

“Err...” The little girl looked away, hiding her hands that were full of scratches behind her back. Her usually loud voice grew quiet.

“Me and Shu were playing tag on the field and then we found a cat. The cat was stuck on a tree and couldn’t go down, so...”

“So?”

“Umm, I kinda climbed up the tree and tried to get it down. But it scratched me instead and I fell...”

Sayaka shook her head slowly.

“Nagisa...”

“B-but I didn’t leave just like that! I try again a few more times and finally get it down—“

THUD

Sayaka gave her daughter a light hit over her head and the girl yelped, holding the little bump forming on it.

“It hurts... Papa, why did you do that?”

Sayaka shrugged and turned to her wife.

“Anything else you want to add, Milky?”

“Hmmm, oh I know. Na-gi-sa-chan~”

Nagisa flinched as she heard the playful tone and she gulped, knowing the dangerous position she was in.

“No pudding for your dessert today, alright~”

The little girl froze, staring blankly at her mother’s mischievous smile, before tears started to form on her eyes.

“Papa, Mama, I hate you!!!”

She shouted on top of her lungs and ran off, leaving Sayaka shaking her head once more. Miyuki let out a long sigh.

“Can you help me fetch that child, Sayaka?”

“Sure thing.”

“Oh, and wait a sec.”

Miyuki wiped the little ketchup on Ririka’s face and smiled at her child, before leaving the dining room to get something. Sayaka blinked, switching her balance to one leg as she put her both hands in her pocket, waiting. After a while Miyuki returned.

“Here.” She handed Sayaka a box of colorful bandaids.

“Get back here before noon, okay?”

“Gotcha.”

Miyuki gave her a quick peck on the cheek and Sayaka smiled, but before she could leave the house she felt a small tug on her pants.

“Hm? Ririka, what’s wrong?”

The said girl raised her two little hands, showing Sayaka a cup of cold pudding. Sayaka blinked.

“This is for big sis. I don’t really like sweets anyways so she can have it.”

Sayaka chuckled at the sweet display and patted her daughter’s head.

“Then how about you give it to big sis yourself? I’m sure she’ll be happy.”

“Okay.”

“Good girl. Now put on your shoes, papa will get you a plastic bag so you can bring the pudding with you.”

Ririka nodded, giving the cold treat to Sayaka as Miyuki helped her to put her shoes. She jumped to her feet as she was ready, taking the bag of pudding from Sayaka and holding it with one hand, her other hand grasped Sayaka’s palm tightly.

“We’re off!”

“Take care, you two.”

Miyuki gave them a wave as the pair left the house toward the bright summer day. Sayaka hummed lightly, feeling the pleasant weather against her skin as she walked down the familiar neighbourhood. It’s true that Nagisa ran away but she knew for sure where her daughter would be this time. Yes, definitely. That girl always tucked herself away on that place whenever she’s sulking or having a bad time. Sayaka chuckled, keeping little Ririka on check beside her as they crossed the road toward the grass field by the riverside. A tall cherry tree standing in their way. The tree was so huge and quite old, its thick leaves covering the branches like a dark veil, making it a perfect place for hiding; Sayaka remembered climbing it too when she was a little girl herself, closing off her thought from the outside world as she sulked. To think that her daughter chose that very same place, it made Sayaka chuckling a bit inside. She took a deep breath.

“Nagisa. Come down here.”

“...”

There was no response, and Sayaka called her one more time.

“Come on, I know you’re up there. Papa is not mad anymore so please come out.”

Again, no answer, but Sayaka kept her calm and waited. After a while the leaves shook a bit.

“...are you really not mad anymore?”

“No, I’m not. And look, Ririka is bringing you a pudding.”

Nagisa popped her little head out of the bunch of leaves, eyeing Sayaka suspiciously. Her eyes were red from crying. Sayaka let out another sigh, releasing her grip on Ririka for a while as she took hold of the tree branch and climbed up.

“Come here.”

She took Nagisa in her arm and jumped back to the ground, taking away the stray leaves from the girl’s long wavy hair as she combed them with her fingers.

“Look how messy you’ve become. You better take another bath after this.”

“...I’m sorry.”

Sayaka smiled, giving her daughter a soft kiss on her forehead.

“It’s alright. Just don’t make papa and mama worried again, okay?”

“You were worried?”

“Of course we were. Papa and mama love Nagisa so much, we don’t want see Nagisa being hurt.”

The little girl sniffled at that, and Sayaka chuckled, putting her carefully to the ground.

“Wait here, papa will get some water to clean your wound.”

Nagisa nodded, hugging her knees as she saw her father walked toward the riverbank.

“Big sis.”

She blinked, hearing Ririka’s squeaky voice beside her and she turned her head, finding her little sister offering her a spoonful of pudding.

“Open up.”

The little girl hesitated for a while, before opening her mouth and chomping down on it.

“Is it good?”

Nagisa smiled and nodded.

“Un. Thanks, Ririka.”

Ririka huffed as she saw her sister’s smiling face, puffing out her chest proudly.

“He heh. ‘A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.’ ”

“Uhhh...what?”

“It’s a quote by—wait, do I really need to explain? Big sis is really an idiot.”

Sayaka couldn’t help but chuckling as she saw her two daughters teasing each other, before returning to them with a drenched towel on her hand.

“Now now, stop it for a while you two. Papa need to fix big sis now.”

Nagisa and Ririka let out a quick ‘okay’ in unison, releasing each other. Sayaka crouched down in front of them, focusing her attention to Nagisa as she dabbed the reddish cut on her right knee, feeling the girl flinching from the touch. As she finished cleaning it she put on a bandaid over the wound, a blue bandaid with a big smiley face on it.

“There. All done. Now let’s go home.”

Nagisa nodded, letting Sayaka lifted her and carried her on her back, while Ririka put away her pudding to the plastic bag and stood, grabbing Sayaka’s pants once more as they started walking. The three of them continued their way in silence, the sound of cicadas cry accompanying them as they walked back to their cozy little home. Miyuki was waiting for them by the front door, crossing her arms. She secretly let out her breath in relief as she saw the three. Sayaka put Nagisa back to her feet in front of Miyuki and the girl turned her face away to the ground, still afraid of being scolded by her mother. She bit her lip.

“Now go take a bath and clean yourself up. Oh, and better hurry before there’s no breakfast left~ Come to think of it mama had eaten about half of your share.”

“Wha-- NO WAY!!”

Nagisa gasped as she heard that and she quickly removed her shoes, running to her room to get her bathing supply. Miyuki laughed as she saw that.

“Geez, that child is such a glutton it’s easy to control her with food.”

“Aren’t you on diet, Milky?”

“Hm? Did you say something?”

“No, nothing.”

Sayaka looked away and put away her shoes, before helping Ririka with hers.

“By the way, Sayaka.” Miyuki said as she saw her husband lifted Ririka back to her chair.

“The Matsui called just earlier. They asked if we’ll be coming to Rara-chan 1st Birthday Party this afternoon.”

“Eeeh!? We’ll be coming to Ryou-chan’s place today?”

Miyuki blinked as she heard Nagisa shouted from the bathroom, and she put out another mischievous smile. Sayaka sighed. Here comes another teasing...

“That’s right, young lady. So clean up all that mud from your body and dress up neatly. Oh, and I wonder what she’ll say if she saw all those scratches? She’ll go glaring at you for hours~”

“Uwaaaa!! I’m in a big trouble!!!”

Miyuki giggled as she heard her daughter shouting in distress, while Sayaka could only let out an awkward laugh. She sighed, sitting back to her chair as she saw her little family gathering in the dining room; Nagisa running out of the bathroom to find Miyuki teasingly snatch away her omelette, Ririka peacefully eating her own breakfast on the other end. Sayaka smiled, digging down her own meal to the lively sound of the Yamamoto family she loved the most. She closed her eyes.

There’s nothing else that Yamamoto Sayaka would ask.

Nothing but this little miracle called ‘Everyday Life’.

And she would never trade it for anything else in this whole world...

__________________________________________________________Their Everyday Life // END

@junchan48 @ChrunchyCream : I'll think about it. It's a light story and so maaaybe I'll randomly update it someday~ Just in case a plot stirs up in my head and I need to take a break from melancholy, ha ha